We played this board in the first round on Wednesday against Eddie Richart and Janne Roos
(N-S). They bid confidently to the ♥ slam and we had to sacrifice in 6♠. My
partner (Paul Q) was apprehensive that we would get a poor score as not many
would bid the ♥ slam. But the standard has improved! – and in fact every N-S pair
bid the slam and all but one E-W pair found the 6♠ sacrifice, so we
actually scored slightly above average on the board. Well done everybody. This
is the bidding at our table: -

Dealer:♠J6WestNorthEastSouth

South♥ AKQJ64---pass

N-S vul♦ QJ1092♠3♥(1)4♠5♠(2)

♣ 2dbl(3)6♥6♠pass(4)

passdblall pass

♠AK8432N♠ Q10975

♥ 10WE♥ 9(1)dbl is the alternative, but I prefer 3♥.

♦742S♦5(2)presumably showing a void and supporting ♥’s.

♣
654♣ AQJ983(3)Showing good values in spades, and by

♠ -inference
not much outside, so this may aid

♥
87532partner
if he is thinking about sacrificing at

♦ AK863the
6-level.

♣ K107(4)Forcing.

So good bidding all round, and it was
presumably similar at all of the other tables.

And what happened? 6♠* by West went -2 for just 300 away at four
tables. At the other table 6♥ made for 1430.

The bottom lines

-When
partner opens a weak two, you have 5 cards in the suit, and partner shows good
cards in the suit then do not expect partner to make any tricks in defence.

-I
would play the 5♠ bid at (2) as Exclusion RKCB, but this N-S
pair were unfamiliar with each other and presumably do not play that.

Leading QuizHere is an
opening lead problem from Monday 16th

SouthWestNorthEastSouth

♠ K-pass1♠dbl

♥
KJ74passpasspass

♦ Q65

♣ AKJ84You are South and partner has converted your take-out double
into penalties, what do you lead?

Good enough for a penalty pass?Board 9 from Monday 16th

Dealer:♠Q9872Table
A

North♥ A86WestNorth(B)EastSouth

E-W vul♦ 102-pass1♠dbl(1)

♣ 532passpass(2)pass

♠63N♠ AJ1052Table B

♥ Q1053WE♥ 92WestNorth(B)EastSouth

♦K98743S♦AJ-pass1♠dbl

♣
10♣
Q976pass1NT(2)all pass

♠ K

♥
KJ74

♦ Q65

♣ AKJ84

Table A:(1)This dbl is far better than the 2♣ overcall found at another table.

(2)What
did you bid with this North hand B in this week’s quiz? This pass (going for
the magic 200 at pairs) is very tempting but I would have a good look at
declarer (is he any good?) and also at partner (does he know to lead a trump if
you pass?). I personally would like better trumps and a better hand to leave
the double in.

Table B:(2)This is the obvious alternative for question B
and is what I would bid most of the time.

And what happened? 2♠ doubled was the final contract twice and it
made on both occasions. 1NT by North was a good result and 2♦ by West scored an average. The other two
contracts were 2♣* by South -2 and 2♠ by East -4 (undoubled!).

The bottom lines: -

-When you
decide to pass a take-out double for penalties you must have very good trumps
(particularly intermediates) that can stand trumps being led from dummy.

-Bearing
this in mind, the player on lead should virtually always lead a trump if he has
one as this may cut down a ruff in dummy.

Leading Quiz
Answer

So the answer to the lead problem on the
previous page is the ♠K. On the actual
deal this prevents the ♣ ruff in dummy and
leads to -1 and what should be a top score of 200. The actual lead of the ♣A was a disaster as then declarer had no
problem scoring a ♣ ruff and making the contract.

The bottom line: -

-When a take-out
double is passed for penalties, a trump lead is virtually mandatory.

Rebid a 6-card suit?Board 3 from Friday 20th

At table B N-S got into a terrible mess,
who would you blame?

Dealer:♠K105432Table
A

South♥ 93WestNorth(A)EastSouth(D)

E-W vul♦ J5---1♥

♣ J72pass1♠pass3♣(1)

passpass(2)all pass

♠6N♠ QJ97

♥ 108754WE♥ 2Table B

♦K10942S♦AQ876WestNorth(A)EastSouth(D)

♣
AQ♣
865---1♥

♠ A8pass1♠pass3♣(1)

♥
AKQJ6pass3♠(3)pass4NT(4)

♦ 3pass5♣pass5♠

♣ K10943passpassdblall pass

Table A:(1)What did you bid with this South hand D(a) in this week’s quiz? This 3♣ bid is game forcing but is an overbid in my
opinion. 2♣ is quite sufficient – it’s a possible mis-fit
and I do not think that this south hand has the values to force to game.

(2)What
did you bid with this North hand A in this week’s quiz? Maybe this North new that his partner was an over-bidder
and so passed (and this worked out well as South had indeed overbid). I prefer
the bid at table B but then I expect partner to have a much better hand for a
game forcing 3♣ bid.

Table B:(1)This South also overbid.

(3)And I
too would re-bid the six card suit here and 3♠ is my answer to question A.

(2)What did you bid with this South hand D(b) in this week’s quiz? This 4NT is clearly way over the
top – partner may well have a hand just like she had (or perhaps a little
stronger). 4♠ is enough. You have already overbid your hand
and if slam is there partner will bid again.

And what happened? 3♣ at Table A was the only plus score for N-S but
I disapprove of the bidding (I would not bid 3♣

as South and I would not pass as North). Two wrongs make a right?

At Table B 5♠* went -4 and 800 away and a clear bottom.

So who was at fault at table B?
South gave North a mouthful of stick, but in my
opinion South was totally at fault in both

the 2nd and 3rd bids and in my opinion North bid
perfectly. I note that the most popular contract was 4♠ undoubled, so I guess

most North’s bid their ♠’s twice.

The bottom lines

-17 points
is not enough to force to game opposite a 1-level response which is a mis-fit.

Table A:(1)What did you open with this North hand C in
this week’s quiz? This hand is a balanced 22, but knock off a

point for 3334 but add on a point for the two tens,
good intermediates and great top cards. So it’s easily

worth 22+ points and if you play 2NT as 20-21 then
this hand should open 2♣.

(3)A transfer.

(4)North realized that he had possibly underbid
last go and so now super-accepted to ensure that he was in game. This is
clearly wrong – partner may have no points and you need 4 trumps to
super-accept in this situation.

Table B:(1)The correct opening and the answer to question
C.

(4)22-24

(5)A
transfer

(6)Having said his hand pretty exactly, North has no reason not to simply accept the transfer.

(7)And with all of these points outside ♠’s North obviously
chooses to play in NoTrumps rather than the 5-3 ♠ fit.

And what happened? This was the
last board at Table A and decided the winners of both sections. Going into this
last

board N-S were winning in their direction and E-W were 2nd in their
direction. However, 4♠ making exactly was
a clear

bottom to N-S and so they dropped to 2nd place and the top to E-W
gave them first place in the E-W line. 3NT +2 or +3

were the popular scores. The bottom lines

-You need 4
trumps to super-accept, after either a 1NT or 2NT opening.

-With a 5-3
major suit fit, go for the NoTrump game if most of your points are outside the
major suit and you have no obvious weakness.

Dave’s ColumnHere is Dave’s input
about the play of the hand.

NorthSouthYou are North, declarer in 4♠ via a Stayman
sequence having

♠Q942♠K876opened 1NT in 4th
seat. East leads the ♥A followed by the

♥ J6♥ 1032♥K and ♥Q
which you ruff. Plan the
play.

♦ KJ9♦ AQ102Will
declarer succeed if he leads a low ♠
from hand at trick 4?

♣ AKQ4♣ J7

Dave’s Column
answerBoard 2 from Wednesday 18th

Dealer:♠Q942WestNorthEastSouth

East♥J6--passpass

N-S vul♦ KJ9pass1NTpass2♣

♣ AKQ4pass2♠pass4♠(1)

all pass

♠
A5N♠ J103

♥ 9874WE♥ AKQ5This is the
bidding from the book and

♦764S♦853also from our table where Paul Q was

♣9652♣ 1083 North
and I was South.

♠K876

♥
1032(1)With 10 points and
two tens this is easily

♦ AQ102worth bidding game.

♣ J7

Answer: Declarer will fail if he leads a trump at trick 4.

In order to hold the trump losers to one, declarer needs one of his
opponents to hold the doubleton ♠A or the ♠J10 doubleton or else
West to hold the singleton ♠J or ♠10 so that he can take a later finesse against East’s remaining
guarded ♠J/10.

So the critical question is – who has the ♠A?

West must have it as East has already turned up with 9 points and
with the ♠A in addition he would have opened as dealer. Therefore declarer
must lead the first ♠ from dummy through West. So cross to dummy in a minor suit
and lead the ♠6. If West plays low declarer wins the ♠Q and leads another ♠. Whether
East plays the ♠J or the ♠10 declarer must play low from dummy, hoping that West began with ♠Ax and will
have to play his ♠A on thin air.

This form of play is known as an obligatory finesse. It is not
really a finesse but is a close relative.

And what happened at the Pattaya Bridge Club? 4♠=
(by my partner along the lines given above), 4♠-1 twice, 3NT-1 and 2♠+2.

The bottom lines: -

-I
simply cannot understand the contracts of 3NT and 2♠, surely the given auction is automatic?

The 100% play is to cash three top ♣’s and then lead the ♠Q (key
play). If somebody overtakes the ♠K then the ♠J is an entry to those
lovely ♣’s.

If the ♠Q wins the trick there’s no problem. Knock out the ♥A and you have at least
9 tricks – 3 ♣’s and two tricks in the other three suits minimum.

Notice that if you try to knock out the ♥A before leading the ♠Q South can win, exit with a ♦ and, holding the ♠K as yet
another entry, you go down.

And what happened at the Pattaya Bridge Club? 3NT+2, 3NT+1, 3NT= and 3NT-1 twice.

The bottom lines: -

-If you
have a cashable long suit, look hard for an entry.

Bidding Quiz Answers

Hand A:3♠. Partner’s 3♣ is game forcing and
I prefer to rebid this reasonable 6-card suit rather than giving (false)
preference to 3♥.

Hand B:1NT, or possibly pass. The
opponents are vulnerable and if you get them one down by passing then 200 will
be a very good score. But I would prefer better trumps (and a better hand) and
would bid 1NT unless LHO is a beginner and I’m feeling mean.

Hand C:2♣, to be followed by 2NT, showing a balanced 22-24.

Hand D:(a)2♣. 3♣
is game forcing and is an overbid.

(b)4♠. Having already overbid, the only way to
salvage the situation is to bid 4♠.
4NT (as bid at one table) is way over the top.